McNeills Oatmeal Stout

Monster sized head. Superior lace; chunky rings after every sip. Dark brown; so dark, no light passes through. Creamy, chocolate milk aroma; great mild hop in the background. Attractive, balanced and rich. Deep, dark cocoa--beyond semi-sweet--very bitter. Thinnish body, the only real negative. Long-lasting aftertaste of coffee grounds. Simply a delightful, heavy stout.

22 oz bottle. I bought this because at 3 bucks it was a steal. I’ve had a lot of problems with McNeills stuff in the past, but this beer gives me some confidence that they’re getting it sorted out. Dark black beer with a thick sticky deep tan head. Lovely aroma of coffee/espresso and a bit of cocoa. A soft tartness and a light roastiness as well. Perhaps a touch of berries, but it is mostly firm dark malts, milk chocolate, and a bit of roast. Sweet and fairly full-bodied with a light silkiness on the palate. Pretty nice brew really.

22oz bottle. Pours a dark brown color with a milk chocolate brown head. Nose is dark roasty malts with some milk chocolate. Palate is smooth and velvety. Flavors of dark roast malts, milk chocolate, some light dark fruit notes and some resiny mouthfeels.

Fresh hop aroma and moderate malt hints. Dark black color with a large brown head. Sweet beginning with a light bitter finish but stil keeping the sweetness.

HogTownHarrys bottle, shared with Blankboy and I. Appearance: Pitch black with a pancake coloured head. Aroma: Coffee, malt and mild blackcurrant. Flavour: Thick, oatmeal, malt and some mild peat. Super stout.

<b>In short: </b>An infected beer, at least this bottle
<b>How: </b>Bottle 22oz, drank (or attempt to) relatively fresh 2 months after purchase
<b>The look: </b>Black body topped by a small tan head
<b>In long: </b>Nose is roasted and vinous. Taste was wine vinegar and roastiness. That’s it that’s all. The vinegary flavour was too overwhelming and only the basic burnt/roasted notes managed to come through. Obviously this was an infected bottle. Drain pour after two or three sips. I’ll re-rate one day if I’m offered a bottle but after this atrocious bottle you’re more likely to find Jimmy Hoffa’s body in my car trunk than a case of McNeill’s Oatmeal Stout.

Bottle (22oz). Shared with blankboy and garthicus, via trade with glouglouburp. Opaque near-black pour with an average light brown mottled creamy head - this actually *looks* thick. Dry, slightly tart yeast aroma (that McNeills aroma again), with deep roast character of molasses and tart fruit. Very dry and deeply roasted coffee/nutty taste, finishes almost burnt. Average of body, incredibly dry and bitter in the linger - a lovely, lovely dry stout.

Bottle (22oz) shared with HogTownHarry & garthicus -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours black with a large somewhat-lasting creamy light-brown head. Mild aroma of roasted malt, coffee, lots of green hops and some lactic notes. Flavour of coffee, chocolate, hops and roasted malt -- very tasty. Medium bodied. Creamy mouthfeel. Well done, a very good Stout.